October Newsletter 2013
Endorsing… Mr. John Butera, BSE, RMT, PTA who calls his business ‘Life Touch Associates’. In two words he describes what he does as Myofascial Restructuring. ‘Myo’ refers to muscle, while ‘fascial’, according to John, refers to other soft tissue that isn’t muscle. As his patient, you remain fully clothed (I recommend wearing loose, comfortable clothing). To start with, he looks at how you stand and analyzes what he sees. For example, perhaps you are noticeably putting more weight on one foot and letting one hip go back or off to the side. Next, you lie down on a table similar to mine and he checks for hyper-tonicity in muscles. He notices if one shoulder lays flat and the other doesn’t and things like that. Then, instead of massage, he will pull a limb into a stretch position working with you to help regain more mobility. His business card says he specializes in chronic pain, trauma and TMD, using cranial sacral, visceral manipulation, myofascial release, matrix energetics, and muscle energy technique and position release techniques.
The following testimonial comes from a patient named ‘Bob’ (name changed to protect anonymity). Bob twisted his back badly and then helped his wife move furniture for a garage sale. I had adjusted Bob with limited results. I could tell part of the back pain was caused by tight muscles. After his first session with John, Bob told me, “John never touched the sore spot on my back, but the pain is gone!” The pain has stayed away for two weeks now. Bob said John talked to him the entire time, telling him which muscles were not cooperating, which ones needed more stretching, and such. Bob thought it was the best muscle type treatment he had ever had.
John also works as a physical therapy assistant in Cripple Creek and also has an office in Colorado Springs. With the recent flooding and frequent closures of the pass, he’s shifting the focus of his practice to be of a more local nature, and that is how he ended up as a tenant in our building. To this date, everyone I have sent to him for a session has come back with fascinating positive feedback.
A new product for INSOMNIA… many people can fall asleep and sleep all night waking up refreshed and ready for the new day. I envy those people. Some people can fall asleep easily enough, but then wake up after about four hours of deep sleep, ‘dozing’ a little the rest of the night, but consciously aware of how long a night can last. That would describe my own typical sleep experience. I am unable to quiet my own mind. After the first four hours, it may start to wander aimlessly, preventing me from ‘dropping off’ into oblivion again. The most common herbal/nutritional remedies are melatonin, serotonin and HTP tryptophan. For milder cases of insomnia, I recommend a product I sell, called Formula 303, which is a natural relaxant, comprised of valerian root, which works on the brain, passion flower, which calms the nerves, and magnesium, which is a natural muscle relaxant. What I have found is that any of these work for me to some extent for a while. I tend to need to switch strategies back and forth. Regular exercise and exposure to fresh air should be included in any effort to get a good night’s sleep.
Last fall, I learned of a new strategy from a fellow acupuncturist. It is called ‘Jade Dragon Peaceful Sleep’, and is an herbal remedy. The therapeutic effect it has is explained in this way; it uses a ’yin’ herbal combination to balance out the overly ‘yang’ elements that are keeping you awake.
The instructions for best results are as follows: take seven pills/late afternoon, seven more after supper and seven more just before bed. If I can remember to take the seven at suppertime and seven more at bedtime, I find it still helps a lot. Please feel free to call us at the clinic if you would like to give this product a try.
Just a reminder about the AMAS test… Recently I heard of a man that had been quite sick for some time, but was unable to get a diagnosis from anyone. Finally, after many tests, he was diagnosed with cancer, and unfortunately, he died within weeks. It is this man’s story that prompts me to remind you that I can help you send a blood sample to a lab in Boston that will test for the Anti-Malignen Antigen. This test will reveal the probability of whether or not cancer is present. First, call Oncolab Inc. at (800) 922-8378, and they will send you a free kit. Next, you will need a prescription (which I am able to provide), for a laboratory diagnostic test. You can then go to Urgent Care to have the blood drawn and processed, after which you’ll be contacted when it’s ready. Next, you’ll need to get some dry ice (local grocers have it). Pack your sample in the Styrofoam box included in the kit and then you send it via overnight shipping to the lab at New England Medical Center. If your test number is ninety-nine or less, no cancer is present. However, if your number is one hundred or more, it is likely cancer is present in your body. But this test won’t tell you what type. It merely alerts you to the possibility and should prompt you to consult an oncologist who will most likely do more testing. This type of information could at least either ease the mind, or allow one more time to accept and respond to the news. October 10th is my ‘stem cell birthday’, and this year I am ten years old, which means I am ten years cancer free!
It’s cold season again…here in Teller County. Antibiotics have been proven ineffective for colds. While we still haven’t found a cure, there are several natural remedies that do reduce symptoms and duration. One is Echinacea (pronounced eck-in-a-she-ah), which is a purple cone-flowering member of the daisy family that grows easily in the mountains, and has long been used as a natural remedy by Native Americans. The stem and upper parts of the plant are used for coughs and colds, while the roots are used to prevent the flu. Its main use is as an immune-booster, and is most effective when used at the first sign of symptoms, before any infection truly settles in. Echinacea is thought to stimulate the overall activity of the cells that are responsible for fighting off all kinds of infection bacterial, viral and even fungus, by helping make our immune cells, like the white blood cells (lymphocytes) more active and efficient. It is best to alternate its use with other immune enhancing herbs like goldenseal and astragalus. An important caution to consider is
an overactive immune system – in this case you would not use Echinacea. The so-called autoimmune diseases such as lupus, MS, RA, TB, HIV and liver disorders need a quieter immune system not a hyped up immune system. Echinacea comes in tea, extracts, pill form, essential oils and salves and creams. Other uses include the treatment of athletes’ foot, sinusitis, slow healing wounds, and candida. I’ve been told that Echinacea uses up zinc and vitamin C to function; if taken together, it will not deplete your internal storage of zinc and vitamin C.
Other good strategies include sleeping eight hours nightly, eating seven to eight servings of fruits and vegetables daily, staying hydrated, avoiding refined and processed foods, washing hands often, and use a vaporizer/humidifier to keep the air you breath more moist. Colloidal Silver, grape seed extract, Boiron Oscillococcinum and Immuplex are some other options. If you want to read what I have written about grape seed extract you can find it on my website archived March 2010. Colloidal Silver was written about in April 2012 newsletter and you can find it on my website www.activelifechiro.info. Add extra Vitamin D, up to 2000 IU a day. On the Chinese Medicine advice side of things, drink pear juice. That’s what they say helps you get over a cold.
The following testimonial comes from a patient named ‘Bob’ (name changed to protect anonymity). Bob twisted his back badly and then helped his wife move furniture for a garage sale. I had adjusted Bob with limited results. I could tell part of the back pain was caused by tight muscles. After his first session with John, Bob told me, “John never touched the sore spot on my back, but the pain is gone!” The pain has stayed away for two weeks now. Bob said John talked to him the entire time, telling him which muscles were not cooperating, which ones needed more stretching, and such. Bob thought it was the best muscle type treatment he had ever had.
John also works as a physical therapy assistant in Cripple Creek and also has an office in Colorado Springs. With the recent flooding and frequent closures of the pass, he’s shifting the focus of his practice to be of a more local nature, and that is how he ended up as a tenant in our building. To this date, everyone I have sent to him for a session has come back with fascinating positive feedback.
A new product for INSOMNIA… many people can fall asleep and sleep all night waking up refreshed and ready for the new day. I envy those people. Some people can fall asleep easily enough, but then wake up after about four hours of deep sleep, ‘dozing’ a little the rest of the night, but consciously aware of how long a night can last. That would describe my own typical sleep experience. I am unable to quiet my own mind. After the first four hours, it may start to wander aimlessly, preventing me from ‘dropping off’ into oblivion again. The most common herbal/nutritional remedies are melatonin, serotonin and HTP tryptophan. For milder cases of insomnia, I recommend a product I sell, called Formula 303, which is a natural relaxant, comprised of valerian root, which works on the brain, passion flower, which calms the nerves, and magnesium, which is a natural muscle relaxant. What I have found is that any of these work for me to some extent for a while. I tend to need to switch strategies back and forth. Regular exercise and exposure to fresh air should be included in any effort to get a good night’s sleep.
Last fall, I learned of a new strategy from a fellow acupuncturist. It is called ‘Jade Dragon Peaceful Sleep’, and is an herbal remedy. The therapeutic effect it has is explained in this way; it uses a ’yin’ herbal combination to balance out the overly ‘yang’ elements that are keeping you awake.
The instructions for best results are as follows: take seven pills/late afternoon, seven more after supper and seven more just before bed. If I can remember to take the seven at suppertime and seven more at bedtime, I find it still helps a lot. Please feel free to call us at the clinic if you would like to give this product a try.
Just a reminder about the AMAS test… Recently I heard of a man that had been quite sick for some time, but was unable to get a diagnosis from anyone. Finally, after many tests, he was diagnosed with cancer, and unfortunately, he died within weeks. It is this man’s story that prompts me to remind you that I can help you send a blood sample to a lab in Boston that will test for the Anti-Malignen Antigen. This test will reveal the probability of whether or not cancer is present. First, call Oncolab Inc. at (800) 922-8378, and they will send you a free kit. Next, you will need a prescription (which I am able to provide), for a laboratory diagnostic test. You can then go to Urgent Care to have the blood drawn and processed, after which you’ll be contacted when it’s ready. Next, you’ll need to get some dry ice (local grocers have it). Pack your sample in the Styrofoam box included in the kit and then you send it via overnight shipping to the lab at New England Medical Center. If your test number is ninety-nine or less, no cancer is present. However, if your number is one hundred or more, it is likely cancer is present in your body. But this test won’t tell you what type. It merely alerts you to the possibility and should prompt you to consult an oncologist who will most likely do more testing. This type of information could at least either ease the mind, or allow one more time to accept and respond to the news. October 10th is my ‘stem cell birthday’, and this year I am ten years old, which means I am ten years cancer free!
It’s cold season again…here in Teller County. Antibiotics have been proven ineffective for colds. While we still haven’t found a cure, there are several natural remedies that do reduce symptoms and duration. One is Echinacea (pronounced eck-in-a-she-ah), which is a purple cone-flowering member of the daisy family that grows easily in the mountains, and has long been used as a natural remedy by Native Americans. The stem and upper parts of the plant are used for coughs and colds, while the roots are used to prevent the flu. Its main use is as an immune-booster, and is most effective when used at the first sign of symptoms, before any infection truly settles in. Echinacea is thought to stimulate the overall activity of the cells that are responsible for fighting off all kinds of infection bacterial, viral and even fungus, by helping make our immune cells, like the white blood cells (lymphocytes) more active and efficient. It is best to alternate its use with other immune enhancing herbs like goldenseal and astragalus. An important caution to consider is
an overactive immune system – in this case you would not use Echinacea. The so-called autoimmune diseases such as lupus, MS, RA, TB, HIV and liver disorders need a quieter immune system not a hyped up immune system. Echinacea comes in tea, extracts, pill form, essential oils and salves and creams. Other uses include the treatment of athletes’ foot, sinusitis, slow healing wounds, and candida. I’ve been told that Echinacea uses up zinc and vitamin C to function; if taken together, it will not deplete your internal storage of zinc and vitamin C.
Other good strategies include sleeping eight hours nightly, eating seven to eight servings of fruits and vegetables daily, staying hydrated, avoiding refined and processed foods, washing hands often, and use a vaporizer/humidifier to keep the air you breath more moist. Colloidal Silver, grape seed extract, Boiron Oscillococcinum and Immuplex are some other options. If you want to read what I have written about grape seed extract you can find it on my website archived March 2010. Colloidal Silver was written about in April 2012 newsletter and you can find it on my website www.activelifechiro.info. Add extra Vitamin D, up to 2000 IU a day. On the Chinese Medicine advice side of things, drink pear juice. That’s what they say helps you get over a cold.
